Improvement ii ladders



P. M. AOKERMAN, OF WEBSTER, NEW YGRK.

Letters Patent No. 65,525, dated Jun-c 11, 1867.

' IMPROVEMENT IN Laurens.

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To ALL wnoM IT MAY coNcERN:

Be it known that I, P. M. Ammann?, llleb'ster,` in the county of Monroe, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension-Ladders and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making, part of this specification, and to the letters of reference thereon, like letters indicatinglike--parts wherever they.

occur.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved ladder complete.

Figures 2, 3, and 4 are side views of my improved locking device, shown in its diiferentpositions.

.Aand B represent two ladders of ordinary constructliomexccpt as hereinafter specified, the ladderA being made of proper width to iit between the side-pieccsof the ladder B, to which it is clamped bymeans of the metal hooks a, as shown in fig. 1, the hooks' being secured rigidly to the ladder B, and the ladder A sliding loosely up and down, as desired. Ilext to the lower round of the ladder B is constructed, to operate a windlass, for the purpose of raising orlowering the extension portion A, and has a crank, c, attached thereto, for operating it. A ratchet-wheel, cl, and a`pawl, e, are secured to it, as represented in iig. 1, to 'prevent it from unwinding, when it is desired to hold the ladder A in place. This windlass-II is made lat and wide throughout most of its length, as shown; and it is around this portion that the rope b is wound, said rope passing-from thence down around thelowcr round h of ladder 4Bi, and thence up to the lower round of ladder A, where itis securely fastened, the other portion of the rope passing from the windlass up and over next to the top round of ladderB, and thence down to the lower round of A, where that end is also secured. By making `the windlass iat, as represented, it is obvious that the `rope will be much less liable to slip on it, and hence needs to be wound a less-number of times around it, thus taking less of the rope, and at the same time will move the ladder much further at each revolution. Care 'must he taken to soy proportion the width of the wind-` lass to the spaces between the rounds of ladder B, and to so adjust the rope thereon that the iat surface of the windlass shall be in the same plane as the side bars, when opposite the rounds of B, so as to rotate without coming in contact with said rounds.; To the sliding-ladder A I attach asafety-hook, D, which is so arranged as to lock on to the rounds of laddei- B, and thus prevent the extension part from slipping. At the .same time. this hook is so arranged as to permit the ladder Atofba elevated or lowered at will, which is done as follows:

I construct the hook D of the form shownin the drawings, and pivot it upon one of the rounds F of the v ladder A, I representing one of the rounds of the ladder B. Near the upper end of the hook D is pivoted a button or tumbler, E, one end of which is `made heavier than the otheryas represented in the drawings. A pin, o, is inserted in this heavier portion, in such a position asto rest on the upper edge of the hook when the heavy en d drops down, as shown in iig. 4. This tumbler is made of such a length that its lighter end will protrude Slightly beyond the point of the hook, as shown in gs. 2 and 3. Now, when the ladder A is slid up the lighter end of the tumbler E will strike against'the round I of ladder B, and thus raise the front end of the hook, as shown in fig. 2, and thus lift the hook and pass it over the round I. If the movement of the ladder A he stopped as soon as the point of the hook D has passed the round I, the hook will drop down and catch over the round, as shown in lig. 2, and thus lock the two ladders securely together. When it is desired to lower the ladder A, it 4should irst be raised slightly, just enpugh 'to let the heavy -end cf the tumbler E drop down to the position shown in iig. 4, when it will sei-ve to prevent the hook from catehing'on the round, and thus enable the ladder A to be lowered to any desired ex tent. A staple, j', serves to keep the hook D in position, and prevent 4it from falling down or turning overback, the staple being made of proper length to give the hook the necessary play. c represents braces, pivoted at their upper ends to the lower ladder B, which may hc used or not, as desired. These are moreespecially useful when the ladder is to be used as a fruitdadder, or for any similar purpose. If desired, the ladder Amay be detached, and each part then used as an ordinary farmladder; or A may be kept for use as an ordinary farm-ladder, and B, with the braces attached, kept and used as a fruitladder, the two being united when-desired.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim, is-

1. The combination of the ladders A and B, the latter being provided with the lat windlass I-I, and having the rope 6 arranged as shown and described. i I

?. The hook D, having tho weighted tumbler E, provided with the pin or'stop o pivoted to it, and arranged to strike the rounds of the ladder, und thereby raise the hook and let it pass the round both in ascending .und descending, substantially as described.

In combination with tho laflders A and B, and the Hat wndlass H, I claim the mtchct d and paivl Ie, arranged as set forth.

P. M. ACKERMAN. Witn ess es:

L. B. KING, R. L. SWIFT. 

